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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="//www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /><title>John 6:4 Now the Jewish Feast of the Passover was near.</title><link rel="canonical" href="https://biblehub.com/john/6-4.htm" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/new9.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><meta property="og:image" content="https://biblehub.com/visuals/20/43_Jhn_06_04.jpg" /><meta property="og:title" content="John 6:4 - The Feeding of the Five Thousand" /><meta property="og:site_name" content="Bible Hub" /><meta property="og:description" content="Now the Jewish Feast of the Passover was near." /><script type="application/javascript" src="https://scripts.webcontentassessor.com/scripts/8a2459b64f9cac8122fc7f2eac4409c8555fac9383016db59c4c26e3d5b8b157"></script><script 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frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="/john/6-3.htm" title="John 6:3">◄</a> John 6:4 <a href="/john/6-5.htm" title="John 6:5">►</a></div></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="topverse"> <a href="#audio" class="clickchap2" title="Context and Audio Bible"> Audio </a> <a href="#crossref" class="clickchap2" title="Cross References"> Cross </a> <a href="#study" class="clickchap2" title="Study Bible"> Study </a> <a href="#commentary" class="clickchap2" title="Commentary"> Comm </a> <a href="#lexicon" class="clickchap2" title="Lexicon"> Greek </a> </div><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheadingv"><b>Verse</b><a href="/bsb/john/6.htm" class="clickchap" style="color:#001320" title="Click any translation name for full chapter">  (Click for Chapter)</a></div><div id="par"><span class="versiontext"><a href="/niv/john/6.htm">New International Version</a></span><br />The Jewish Passover Festival was near.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nlt/john/6.htm">New Living Translation</a></span><br />(It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration.)<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/esv/john/6.htm">English Standard Version</a></span><br />Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/bsb/john/6.htm">Berean Standard Bible</a></span><br />Now the Jewish Feast of the Passover was near.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/blb/john/6.htm">Berean Literal Bible</a></span><br />Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was near.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/kjv/john/6.htm">King James Bible</a></span><br />And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nkjv/john/6.htm">New King James Version</a></span><br />Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb_/john/6.htm">New American Standard Bible</a></span><br />Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was near.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb/john/6.htm">NASB 1995</a></span><br />Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was near.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb77/john/6.htm">NASB 1977 </a></span><br />Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsb/john/6.htm">Legacy Standard Bible </a></span><br />Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was near.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/amp/john/6.htm">Amplified Bible</a></span><br />Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was approaching.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/csb/john/6.htm">Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />Now the Passover, a Jewish festival, was near.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/hcsb/john/6.htm">Holman Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />Now the Passover, a Jewish festival, was near. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/asv/john/6.htm">American Standard Version</a></span><br />Now the passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/erv/john/6.htm">English Revised Version</a></span><br />Now the passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gwt/john/6.htm">GOD'S WORD® Translation</a></span><br />The time for the Jewish Passover festival was near.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gnt/john/6.htm">Good News Translation</a></span><br />The time for the Passover Festival was near. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/isv/john/6.htm">International Standard Version</a></span><br />Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/msb/john/6.htm">Majority Standard Bible</a></span><br />Now the Jewish Feast of the Passover was near.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/net/john/6.htm">NET Bible</a></span><br />(Now the Jewish feast of the Passover was near.)<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nheb/john/6.htm">New Heart English Bible</a></span><br />Now the Passover, the Jewish festival, was near.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/wbt/john/6.htm">Webster's Bible Translation</a></span><br />And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/wey/john/6.htm">Weymouth New Testament</a></span><br />The Jewish Festival, the Passover, was at hand.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/web/john/6.htm">World English Bible</a></span><br />Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. <div class="vheading2"><b>Literal Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsv/john/6.htm">Literal Standard Version</a></span><br />and the Passover was near, the celebration of the Jews.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/blb/john/6.htm">Berean Literal Bible</a></span><br />Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was near.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/ylt/john/6.htm">Young's Literal Translation</a></span><br /> and the passover was nigh, the feast of the Jews.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/slt/john/6.htm">Smith's Literal Translation</a></span><br />And the pascha was near, the festival of the Jews.<div class="vheading2"><b>Catholic Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/drb/john/6.htm">Douay-Rheims Bible</a></span><br />Now the pasch, the festival day of the Jews, was near at hand. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/cpdv/john/6.htm">Catholic Public Domain Version</a></span><br />Now the Passover, the feast day of the Jews, was near.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nabre/john/6.htm">New American Bible</a></span><br />The Jewish feast of Passover was near.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nrsvce/john/6.htm">New Revised Standard Version</a></span><br />Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near.<div class="vheading2"><b>Translations from Aramaic</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lamsa/john/6.htm">Lamsa Bible</a></span><br />And the feast of the passover of the Jews was at hand.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/aramaic-plain-english/john/6.htm">Aramaic Bible in Plain English</a></span><br />But the feast of The Passover of the Jews was drawing near.<div class="vheading2"><b>NT Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/anderson/john/6.htm">Anderson New Testament</a></span><br />And the passover, the feast of the Jews, was near.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/godbey/john/6.htm">Godbey New Testament</a></span><br />And the passover, the feast of the Jews, was nigh.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/haweis/john/6.htm">Haweis New Testament</a></span><br />And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/mace/john/6.htm">Mace New Testament</a></span><br />for it was just before the passover, which is a feast of the Jews.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/wey/john/6.htm">Weymouth New Testament</a></span><br />The Jewish Festival, the Passover, was at hand.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/worrell/john/6.htm">Worrell New Testament</a></span><br />Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was near.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/worsley/john/6.htm">Worsley New Testament</a></span><br />And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was near.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/parallel/john/6-4.htm">Additional Translations ...</a></span></div></div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><a name="audio" id="audio"></a><div class="vheadingv"><b>Audio Bible</b></div><iframe width="100%" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ixy2bchmXZ0?start=1739" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><div class="vheadingv"><b>Context</b></div><span class="hdg"><a href="/bsb/john/6.htm">The Feeding of the Five Thousand</a></span><br>…<span class="reftext">3</span>Then Jesus went up on the mountain and sat down with His disciples. <span class="reftext">4</span><span class="highl"><a href="/greek/1161.htm" title="1161: de (Conj) -- A primary particle; but, and, etc.">Now</a> <a href="/greek/3588.htm" title="3588: hē (Art-NFS) -- The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.">the</a> <a href="/greek/3588.htm" title="3588: tōn (Art-GMP) -- The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the."></a> <a href="/greek/2453.htm" title="2453: Ioudaiōn (Adj-GMP) -- Jewish. From Iouda; Judaean, i.e. Belonging to Jehudah.">Jewish</a> <a href="/greek/1859.htm" title="1859: heortē (N-NFS) -- A festival, feast, periodically recurring. Of uncertain affinity; a festival.">Feast</a> <a href="/greek/3588.htm" title="3588: to (Art-NNS) -- The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.">of the</a> <a href="/greek/3957.htm" title="3957: pascha (N-NNS) -- The feast of Passover, the Passover lamb. Of Chaldee origin; the Passover.">Passover</a> <a href="/greek/1510.htm" title="1510: Ēn (V-IIA-3S) -- I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.">was</a> <a href="/greek/1451.htm" title="1451: engys (Adv) -- Near. From a primary verb agcho; near.">near.</a> </span> <span class="reftext">5</span>When Jesus looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where can we buy bread for these people to eat?”…<div class="cred"><a href="//berean.bible">Berean Standard Bible</a> · <a href="//berean.bible/downloads.htm">Download</a></div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="crossref" id="crossref"></a><div class="vheading">Cross References</div><div id="crf"><span class="crossverse"><a href="/exodus/12-1.htm">Exodus 12:1-14</a></span><br />Now the LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, / “This month is the beginning of months for you; it shall be the first month of your year. / Tell the whole congregation of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man must select a lamb for his family, one per household. ...<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/leviticus/23-4.htm">Leviticus 23:4-8</a></span><br />These are the LORD’s appointed feasts, the sacred assemblies you are to proclaim at their appointed times. / The Passover to the LORD begins at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month. / On the fifteenth day of the same month begins the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the LORD. For seven days you must eat unleavened bread. ...<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/numbers/9-1.htm">Numbers 9:1-5</a></span><br />In the first month of the second year after Israel had come out of the land of Egypt, the LORD spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai: / “The Israelites are to observe the Passover at its appointed time. / You are to observe it at the appointed time, at twilight on the fourteenth day of this month, in accordance with its statutes and ordinances.” ...<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/deuteronomy/16-1.htm">Deuteronomy 16:1-8</a></span><br />Observe the month of Abib and celebrate the Passover to the LORD your God, because in the month of Abib the LORD your God brought you out of Egypt by night. / You are to offer to the LORD your God the Passover sacrifice from the herd or flock in the place the LORD will choose as a dwelling for His Name. / You must not eat leavened bread with it; for seven days you are to eat with it unleavened bread, the bread of affliction, because you left the land of Egypt in haste—so that you may remember for the rest of your life the day you left the land of Egypt. ...<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/matthew/26-17.htm">Matthew 26:17-19</a></span><br />On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?” / He answered, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him that the Teacher says, ‘My time is near. I will keep the Passover with My disciples at your house.’” / So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/mark/14-12.htm">Mark 14:12-16</a></span><br />On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb was to be sacrificed, Jesus’ disciples asked Him, “Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?” / So He sent two of His disciples and told them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jug of water will meet you. Follow him, / and whichever house he enters, say to the owner, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is My guest room, where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?’ ...<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/luke/22-7.htm">Luke 22:7-13</a></span><br />Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb was to be sacrificed. / Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.” / “Where do You want us to prepare it?” they asked. ...<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/john/2-13.htm">John 2:13</a></span><br />When the Jewish Passover was near, Jesus went up to Jerusalem.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/john/11-55.htm">John 11:55</a></span><br />Now the Jewish Passover was near, and many people went up from the country to Jerusalem to purify themselves before the Passover.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/1_corinthians/5-7.htm">1 Corinthians 5:7-8</a></span><br />Get rid of the old leaven, that you may be a new unleavened batch, as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. / Therefore let us keep the feast, not with the old bread, leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and of truth.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/hebrews/11-28.htm">Hebrews 11:28</a></span><br />By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch Israel’s own firstborn.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/2_chronicles/30-1.htm">2 Chronicles 30:1-5</a></span><br />Then Hezekiah sent word throughout all Israel and Judah, and he also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh inviting them to come to the house of the LORD in Jerusalem to keep the Passover of the LORD, the God of Israel. / For the king and his officials and the whole assembly in Jerusalem had decided to keep the Passover in the second month, / since they had been unable to keep it at the regular time, because not enough priests had consecrated themselves and the people had not been gathered in Jerusalem. ...<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/2_chronicles/35-1.htm">2 Chronicles 35:1-19</a></span><br />Then Josiah kept the Passover to the LORD in Jerusalem, and the Passover lamb was slaughtered on the fourteenth day of the first month. / He appointed the priests to their duties and encouraged them in the service of the house of the LORD. / To the Levites who taught all Israel and were holy to the LORD, Josiah said: “Put the holy ark in the temple built by Solomon son of David king of Israel. It is not to be carried around on your shoulders. Now serve the LORD your God and His people Israel. ...<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/ezra/6-19.htm">Ezra 6:19-22</a></span><br />On the fourteenth day of the first month, the exiles kept the Passover. / All the priests and Levites had purified themselves and were ceremonially clean. And the Levites slaughtered the Passover lamb for all the exiles, for their priestly brothers, and for themselves. / The Israelites who had returned from exile ate it, together with all who had separated themselves from the uncleanness of the peoples of the land to seek the LORD, the God of Israel. ...<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/ezekiel/45-21.htm">Ezekiel 45:21</a></span><br />On the fourteenth day of the first month you are to observe the Passover, a feast of seven days, during which unleavened bread shall be eaten.</div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="tsk" id="tsk"><div class="vheading">Treasury of Scripture</div><p class="tsk2">And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was near.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/john/2-13.htm">John 2:13</a></b></br> And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem,</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/john/5-1.htm">John 5:1</a></b></br> After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/john/11-55.htm">John 11:55</a></b></br> And the Jews' passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the passover, to purify themselves.</p><div class="vheading">Jump to Previous</div><a href="/john/5-1.htm">Feast</a> <a href="/john/5-1.htm">Festival</a> <a href="/john/4-38.htm">Hand</a> <a href="/john/3-1.htm">Jewish</a> <a href="/john/5-18.htm">Jews</a> <a href="/john/3-23.htm">Nigh</a> <a href="/john/2-23.htm">Passover</a><div class="vheading2">Jump to Next</div><a href="/john/7-2.htm">Feast</a> <a href="/john/7-2.htm">Festival</a> <a href="/john/7-2.htm">Hand</a> <a href="/john/7-2.htm">Jewish</a> <a href="/john/6-41.htm">Jews</a> <a href="/john/6-19.htm">Nigh</a> <a href="/john/11-55.htm">Passover</a><div class="vheading2">John 6</div><span class="reftext">1. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/john/6-1.htm">Jesus feeds five thousand men with five loaves and two fishes.</a></span><br><span class="reftext">15. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/john/6-15.htm">Thereupon the people would have made him king;</a></span><br><span class="reftext">16. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/john/6-16.htm">but withdrawing himself, he walks on the sea to his disciples;</a></span><br><span class="reftext">26. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/john/6-26.htm">reproves the people flocking after him, and all the fleshly hearers of his word;</a></span><br><span class="reftext">32. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/john/6-32.htm">declares himself to be the bread of life to believers.</a></span><br><span class="reftext">66. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/john/6-66.htm">Many disciples depart from him.</a></span><br><span class="reftext">68. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/john/6-68.htm">Peter confesses him.</a></span><br><span class="reftext">70. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/john/6-70.htm">Judas is a devil.</a></span><br></div></div><div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><div align="center"> <script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script> <script id="b817b7107f1d4a7997da1b3c33457e03"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=cb0edd8b-b416-47eb-8c6d-3cc96561f7e8&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-2'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-0' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-3'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-1' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div align="center" id='div-gpt-ad-1531425649696-0'> </div><br /><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:200px;height:200px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="3592799687"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> <br /><br /> </div> </td></tr></table></div></div></div><div id="combox"><div class="padcom"><a name="study" id="study"></a><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top"><a href="/study/john/6.htm">Study Bible</a></td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/study/john/" title="Book Summary and Study">Book ◦</a> <a href="/study/chapters/john/6.htm" title="Chapter summary and Study">Chapter </a></tr></table></div><b>Now</b><br>This word indicates a transition in the narrative, setting the stage for the events that follow. It suggests a specific time frame and context for the upcoming actions and teachings of Jesus.<p><b>the Jewish Feast of the Passover</b><br>The Passover is one of the most significant Jewish feasts, commemorating the Israelites' deliverance from slavery in Egypt as described in <a href="/exodus/12.htm">Exodus 12</a>. It involves the sacrifice of a lamb and the eating of unleavened bread, symbolizing the haste of the Israelites' departure. This feast is rich in typology, foreshadowing Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (<a href="/john/1-29.htm">John 1:29</a>). The Passover also points to themes of redemption and deliverance, central to the Gospel message.<p><b>was near</b><br>The timing of the Passover being near is significant, as it sets the context for the miraculous feeding of the 5,000, which follows in the narrative. This proximity to Passover highlights the themes of provision and sustenance, as Jesus provides bread for the multitude, echoing God's provision of manna in the wilderness. The nearness of Passover also foreshadows the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus, which will occur during the Passover festival, linking His death to the sacrificial lamb of the original Passover.<div class="vheading2">Persons / Places / Events</div>1. <b><a href="/topical/p/passover.htm">Passover</a></b><br>A significant Jewish feast commemorating the Israelites' deliverance from slavery in Egypt. It is a time of remembrance and celebration of God's saving power and faithfulness.<br><br>2. <b><a href="/topical/j/jews.htm">Jews</a></b><br>The ethnic and religious group to whom the Passover was given. They are the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and are central to the account of the Old and New Testaments.<br><br>3. <b><a href="/topical/f/feast.htm">Feast</a></b><br>Refers to the annual celebration that includes specific rituals and meals, such as the Seder, which recounts the Exodus account.<div class="vheading2">Teaching Points</div><b><a href="/topical/u/understanding_the_significance_of_passover.htm">Understanding the Significance of Passover</a></b><br>Recognize the Passover as a foundational event in Jewish history that prefigures Christ's redemptive work.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/c/christ_as_our_passover_lamb.htm">Christ as Our Passover Lamb</a></b><br>Reflect on how Jesus fulfills the Passover by being the ultimate sacrifice for sin, offering deliverance from spiritual bondage.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/t/the_importance_of_remembrance.htm">The Importance of Remembrance</a></b><br>Just as the Jews remember their deliverance from Egypt, Christians are called to remember Christ's sacrifice through practices like Communion.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/g/god's_faithfulness_across_time.htm">God's Faithfulness Across Time</a></b><br>The Passover is a testament to God's faithfulness to His promises, encouraging believers to trust in His continued faithfulness today.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/l/living_in_the_light_of_redemption.htm">Living in the Light of Redemption</a></b><br>As the Israelites were called to live as a redeemed people, Christians are called to live in the freedom and new life provided by Christ.<div class="vheading2">Lists and Questions</div><a href="/top10/lessons_from_john_6.htm">Top 10 Lessons from John 6</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/how_long_was_jesus'_ministry.htm">What was the duration of Jesus' ministry?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/what_was_cyprus's_role_in_the_bible.htm">When was Jesus crucified?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/in_what_year_did_jesus_die.htm">In what year did Jesus die?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/when_was_jesus_crucified.htm">When was Jesus crucified?</a><a name="commentary" id="commentary"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/ellicott/john/6.htm">Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers</a></div>(4) <span class= "bld">A feast.</span>--Better, <span class= "ital">the feast.</span> Comp. <a href="/john/5-1.htm" title="After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.">John 5:1</a>. This is added by St. John only, and is not simply a note of time, but gives a key of interpretation to the sign itself, and to the discourse which followed.<p><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/pulpit/john/6.htm">Pulpit Commentary</a></div><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 4.</span> - <span class="cmt_word">Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand.</span> The ordinary meaning of <span class="greek">ἐγγύς</span> need not be departed from (cf. <a href="/john/2-13.htm">John 2:13</a>; <a href="/john/7-2.htm">John 7:2</a>; <a href="/john/11-55.htm">John 11:55</a>). This valuable note of time is confirmed by another hint incidentally dropped. A month later than the Passover it could not be said that "much grass" was in the place. In the late spring such a phrase would most inadequately represent the scene that was indelibly impressed on the fourfold tradition. Whatever the unnamed feast was (<a href="/john/5-1.htm">John 5:1</a>), whether Trumpets, Purim, or Passover, we have reached the month Abib, when the crowds of pilgrims were gathering for their southern journey. If the Purim were the unnamed feast, then the suggestion arises that Christ's reception at Jerusalem had prevented his remaining until the Passover of that year. If the Passover be meant (<a href="/john/5-1.htm">John 5:1</a>), then a year has passed between ch. 5. and 6. Nor is this a day too long for the crowd of events and teachings recorded by the synoptists as having taken place before the death of John. The note of time may be recorded as implying the dominant sentiment in the minds of the people. The great deliverance from Egyptian bondage was burned into the national conscience, and the fanatic desire for a second Moses to lead them out of Roman servitude was at such seasons fanned into a flame. The Lord had his own thought about the Paschal lamb, and knew that God was preparing a Lamb for sacrifice. In mystic, parabolic sense he foreknew that men would and must consume the flesh of this sacrifice. He was ready, moreover, to show them that he could supply all their need. The great Prophet who had said of himself, "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world!" had just fallen beneath the executioner's axe. The people were bereft of a great prophet and leader, and to Christ's eye they were "as sheep without a shepherd." Verily he was preparing to lay down his life as a good Shepherd for these sheep - to provide for them in the future a feast of living bread. All this may rationally be admitted, without for a moment conceding that second-century <span class="accented">ideas</span> like these were the formative causes of the narrative. The miracle that follows stands on an entirely distinct basis, and is more powerfully attested than any ether miracle, except the resurrection of Christ. If it stood in John's record alone, there might be some colour for the supposition that we have merely a parable of great beauty. But the threefold tradition long anterior to John's Gospel deprives even the pseudo-John of the possibility of inventing it. On the other hand, the appearance of the narrative in John's Gospel deprives it of the <span class="accented">mythical</span> character which some have attributed to the authors of the synoptic Gospels. Thoma, in the spirit of Strauss, here imagines that the synoptists were busy in fashioning a miracle of sustenance and a portent upon the waters - a sign on land and sea - to correspond with the manna and Red Sea marvels of the Book of Exodus. "The mountain" (<span class="greek">τὸ ὄρος</span>) is, as he thinks, a similitude of the Mount Sinai, and, as the latter represented the giving of the Law, this was associated with the mountain of Beatitudes. He goes further, and sees in the Johannine narrative the Christian (<span class="accented">agapae</span>) feasts, and the deliverance of the Apostle Paul from shipwreck! He is even more ingenious still, and suggests that the "five thousand" fed at the first miraculous meal, with twelve baskets of fragments, correspond with the results of the first preaching of the twelve apostles, and that the seven loaves among the four thousand reflect "the many hundreds" who were benefited by the seven evangelists. He endeavours by a most elaborate process to make it appear that John has here combined into one tableau minute traces derived from the five several accounts of the two miracles. The old rationalistic theory was that the miracle was only an exaggerated poetical statement of the fact; that a good example of charity on the part of the apostles was followed by others, and so food was found for the entire multitude. This hypothesis breaks on the rock that the authors of these Gospels intended to convey a perfectly different idea. The effect of such cheap philanthropy and pragmatic travesty of a royal act would not have been that the multitudes would have rushed to the conclusion that he had done a kingly deed, or one in the least way calculated to suggest the notion that he could feed armies at his will. All efforts to extirpate by such theories the supernatural character of the occurrence fail, and force the reader back upon the plain statements of the fourfold narrative. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/commentaries/john/6-4.htm">Parallel Commentaries ...</a></span><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><a name="lexicon" id="lexicon"></a><div class="vheading">Greek</div><span class="word">Now</span><br /><span class="grk">δὲ</span> <span class="translit">(de)</span><br /><span class="parse">Conjunction<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_1161.htm">Strong's 1161: </a> </span><span class="str2">A primary particle; but, and, etc.</span><br /><br /><span class="word">the</span><br /><span class="grk">ἡ</span> <span class="translit">(hē)</span><br /><span class="parse">Article - Nominative Feminine Singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_3588.htm">Strong's 3588: </a> </span><span class="str2">The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.</span><br /><br /><span class="word">Jewish</span><br /><span class="grk">Ἰουδαίων</span> <span class="translit">(Ioudaiōn)</span><br /><span class="parse">Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_2453.htm">Strong's 2453: </a> </span><span class="str2">Jewish. From Iouda; Judaean, i.e. Belonging to Jehudah.</span><br /><br /><span class="word">Feast</span><br /><span class="grk">ἑορτὴ</span> <span class="translit">(heortē)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_1859.htm">Strong's 1859: </a> </span><span class="str2">A festival, feast, periodically recurring. Of uncertain affinity; a festival.</span><br /><br /><span class="word">of the</span><br /><span class="grk">τὸ</span> <span class="translit">(to)</span><br /><span class="parse">Article - Nominative Neuter Singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_3588.htm">Strong's 3588: </a> </span><span class="str2">The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.</span><br /><br /><span class="word">Passover</span><br /><span class="grk">πάσχα</span> <span class="translit">(pascha)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_3957.htm">Strong's 3957: </a> </span><span class="str2">The feast of Passover, the Passover lamb. Of Chaldee origin; the Passover.</span><br /><br /><span class="word">was</span><br /><span class="grk">Ἦν</span> <span class="translit">(Ēn)</span><br /><span class="parse">Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_1510.htm">Strong's 1510: </a> </span><span class="str2">I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.</span><br /><br /><span class="word">near.</span><br /><span class="grk">ἐγγὺς</span> <span class="translit">(engys)</span><br /><span class="parse">Adverb<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_1451.htm">Strong's 1451: </a> </span><span class="str2">Near. From a primary verb agcho; near.</span><br /><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div class="vheading">Links</div><a href="/niv/john/6-4.htm">John 6:4 NIV</a><br /><a href="/nlt/john/6-4.htm">John 6:4 NLT</a><br /><a href="/esv/john/6-4.htm">John 6:4 ESV</a><br /><a href="/nasb/john/6-4.htm">John 6:4 NASB</a><br /><a href="/kjv/john/6-4.htm">John 6:4 KJV</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="//bibleapps.com/john/6-4.htm">John 6:4 BibleApps.com</a><br /><a href="//bibliaparalela.com/john/6-4.htm">John 6:4 Biblia Paralela</a><br /><a href="//holybible.com.cn/john/6-4.htm">John 6:4 Chinese Bible</a><br /><a href="//saintebible.com/john/6-4.htm">John 6:4 French Bible</a><br /><a href="/catholic/john/6-4.htm">John 6:4 Catholic Bible</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/john/6-4.htm">NT Gospels: John 6:4 Now the Passover the feast (Jhn Jo Jn) </a></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="/john/6-3.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="John 6:3"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="John 6:3" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="/john/6-5.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="John 6:5"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="John 6:5" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhnew2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>